Rafa
'''Rafa '''is one of the characters who appears in Chris Heimerdinger's ''Tennis Shoes Adventure Series. ''He serves as a supporting antagonist turned protagonist in ''Tower of Thunder ''and a supporting protagonist in ''Kingdoms and Conquerors, Sorcerors and Seers, ''and ''Drums of Desolation. ''He is a trained falcon who formerly served as a scouting sentry for Casluchim, and now serves Harry Hawkins. Tower of Thunder Rafa first appears at the beginning of the book, where, after the warriors of Shinar win a battle with an opposing army, he helps seek out stragglers for the Shinar warriors to wipe out. While going about his duties, Rafa finds Harry and Steffanie Hawkins, who had been watching the battle unfold. Rafa exposes their position to the Shinar warriors, who then capture the Hawkinses. Later, when Harry escapes the clutches of Nimrod, Rafa is among the warriors who goes after him. Rafa finds Harry and starts flying back to his master, but Harry throws a rock and knocks Rafa out of the air. Harry finds Rafa injured from the rock and takes pity on him. He takes Rafa with him as he heads for a time conduit that will take him to 73 A. D. While floating down the river, Harry feeds Rafa some chicken that he finds in Steffanie's backpack. Rafa travels with Harry through the cave that will take him to the time conduit. After the two of them encounter a Mosasaurus and go through the time cave, they end up in 73 A. D, where Harry intends to intervene with past events where his Nephite friend Gidgiddonihah was killed by a Scythian Warrior. Although Rafa abandons him in this endeavor, he rejoins Harry when he ends up with a now-survived Gidgiddonihah. Rafa goes alongside Harry, Gidgiddonihah, Micah, and Jesse as they return to 3000 B. C. to rescue Steffanie from Nimrod. While ascending the Tower of Babel, Rafa encounters his old master. Rafa's old master commands Rafa to attack Harry, but Rafa, now feeling more loyal to Harry, attacks his old master instead. he later flies alongside Harry, Steffanie, Gidgiddonihah, Micah, and Jesse as they hijack a glider to escape the destruction of the Tower of Babel. Harry, Steffanie, Gidgiddonihah, Micah, Jesse, and Rafa reunite with Mary Symeon and Pagag. On hearing that Joshua and Rebecca Plimpton have disappeared, Harry sends Rafa out to find them. Rafa finds Joshua and Rebecca in a nearby clearing, where Rebecca has been struck with lighting and Joshua is captured by Akish, and reports it to Harry. Harry, Mary, Steffanie, Rebecca, Gidgiddonihah, Pagag, Micah, Jesse, and Rafa go to rescue Joshua and Rebecca, but Akish uses his sword to cut a rift in time and escape with Joshua. Harry and Pagag then use their Priesthood power to heal Rebecca. Rafa goes with the Hawkinses and their entourage as they go to find another time conduit that will take them to where they can find Joshua. Kingdoms and Conquerors Rafa, Harry, Gidgiddonihah, Steffanie, Pagag, Mary, Rebecca, Micah, and Jesse end up in ancient America, right before the Nephites and Lamanites' final battle at Cumorah. Soon after they arrive in the century, Rafa witnesses the Wolf Witches kidnap Harry, Mary, Gidgiddonihah, Micah, Jesse, and Rebecca. When Steffanie and Pagag return from collecting fruit, Rafa tells them what he saw. Pagag cannot understand Rafa, as the Gift of Tongues only allows humans to communicate with animals that aren't from their own century, so Steffanie does the talking. Rafa tells her that he sees the Wolf Witches marching ahead with their captives, and agrees to help guide them in their pursuit. After Steffanie and Pagag meet the army of Lamanites led by Sa'abkan, Rafa rejoins them again. He informs them that he has seen Harry and Gidgiddonihah again, and that he is worried for them. He urges them to get moving, since he isn't sure how much longer the Wolf Witches' captives will still be alive. Steffanie, Pagag, Rafa, Sa'abkan, and his army manage to catch up to the Wolf Witches at their encampment. Rafa, spying on the encampment, reports that Harry, Mary, and Gidgiddonihah are no longer being held by the Wolf Witches. Steffanie, Pagag, and the Lamanite warriors attack the Wolf Witches, rescue Rebecca, Micah, and Jesse, and discover that the Wolf Witches had sold their other three captives to the Chamulans led by Chief Mensabak. Rafa goes with his companions to Desolation to rescue their friends. At Desolation, Rafa and Harry are thrilled to be reunited. Mary and Gidgiddonihah are also liberated, along with Apollus and Meagan Sorenson. The newly reunited group leaves Desolation and continues on their journey toward Cumorah. Sorcerers and Seers The now-large group of warriors and heroes continues its journey in ancient Nephite times. Rafa is scouting ahead when he sees the Gadianton Ghosts spying on them. He reports his sightings to Harry and company, prompting Moroni and Gilgal to tell their companions about the ways of the Gadianton Ghosts. Later, Rafa and Huracan meet an army of Lamanite warriors led by Antionum. The Lamanites find that they can understand Rafa, and Rafa is able to communicate with Huracan, as they are all subject to the Gift of Tongues. The Lamanites, believing Rafa and Huracan to be gods, follow them and rescue the entourage of heroes from an attack by the Gadianton Ghosts. The band starts to travel with Antionum, but when Antionum finds out that Rafa's allies have made enemies with Lamanai, he kicks them out of his army. On reaching Cumorah, Rafa goes with Harry, Apollus, Garth Plimpton, Moroni, and several other Nephite commanders to a conference with Lamanai, Spearthrower Owl, and Fireborn. At the meeting, the Lamanite commanders offer the Nephite commanders to give up their lives so their wives and children can live as the Lamanites' slaves. Only some of the Nephite commanders accept, and Zenephi is exposed as a traitor. As the Nephites and their allies leave, an angry mob attacks and kills Zenephi. Drums of Desolation Rafa witnesses as Harry is kidnapped by the Lamanites led by Sa'abkan. He later visits Harry while he is in their captivity. Harry slips Rafa a coin that he had gotten earlier from Brock McConnel and tells Rafa to bring it to the rest of his companions to let them know he's okay. Rafa takes the coin and finds Steffanie, Brock, Gidgiddonihah, Rebecca, Jesse, and Moroni's son Lehi. On seeing the coin, the companions know that Harry is okay. That night, Rafa returns to the Lamanite encampment with Huracan. The two of them kill Sa'abkan and escort Harry out of the encampment. Afterwards, Huracan decides to go out into the jungle to find a new life, while Rafa opts to stay with Harry. Category:Animals Category:Male Category:Book Villains Category:Redeemed Category:Friend of a Hero Category:Sentient Weapons Category:Minion